


Love in Wonderland

by bedwyrssong



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Drabble, F/M, Fluff, Literary References & Allusions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-05
Updated: 2015-01-05
Packaged: 2018-03-24 20:18:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3783049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bedwyrssong/pseuds/bedwyrssong
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes are unlikely scene partners in a charity performance of <i>Alice in Wonderland</i>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love in Wonderland

In Mr. Carson's opinion, Lady Grantham's idea to hold a charity performance of _Alice in Wonderland_ at Downton turned out to be a no-nonsense threat for the household stability, as not even the smallest hallboy was deprived of the role and everyone had to take part in rehearsals. It was quite one thing for the family to amuse themselves in this manner—Lady Rose would make quite a fetching Alice, and His Lordship a dashing old-fashioned White Knight, if Carson did say so himself—and he would have been quite willing to spare a few senior members of staff, such as the Bateses, for the rehearsals and performance, but now even Mrs Patmore had been cast as an appropriately blustery Queen of Hearts; as a result, both upstairs and downstairs were to have a cold supper, which offended his sense of propriety deeply.

Mr Barrow, as the Knave of Hearts, was so covered in leather that when Mr Carson looked at him, he felt as if he was in a tanner’s shop, while James in his White Rabbit costume was blushing in a manner that he was not certain befit the honor of the house. He himself had been given the Walrus, a role, Lady Grantham said, requiring a demeanor of great dignity, and opposite him, in an especially fanciful piece of casting, Mrs Hughes was to play the Carpenter.

“Well, Mr Carson,” she said, meeting him backstage with her apron and hammer, “I did not expect to see you ever take the stage again.”

“Nor did I, Mrs Hughes, nor did I–but if I must lower myself so, let it be for the good of Downton and benefit of the needy–and, Mrs Hughes, I cannot imagine a better partner, for this or any endeavor, than yourself.”

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr user catthetamedshrew provided me with the first sentence, and challenged me to write the next five.


End file.
